Final Posting

After almost three and a half years and 343 posts, I have decided to call it quits. I have no reason to do so but I feel it is time to move on.

I don’t think I have many regular readers; my guess is two maybe three loyal readers, so this is not a loss that will shake the world of blogging.

Seeing that this is my final posting, I might as well write a very long post. That is if I can find anything to write about.

On Movies and Songs

I enjoy watching movies but I hardly go to the cinema. I prefer to lie in bed and watch pirated DVDs. I’m not supporting the pirated DVD industry but they do serve a purpose and at a lower cost. The taxman may differ but I think economically, the industry does have its benefits. Another reason for choosing DVDs over cinema is the censorship; we sometimes are overzealous in cutting up dialogues and scenes. Most moviegoers are matured adults, let’s treat them as such.

Another reason why I don’t quite like going to the movies is because it takes a lot of effort and I am the lazy type. At home I can watch movies lying down topless in my boxers. I can pause if I need to take a pee. I can adjust the temperature. I don’t have to spend hours looking for parking and queuing for tickets and popcorn. At home I can doze off immediately after the movie ends.

I love gangster movies. The Godfather trilogy is at the top of my list followed by Pulp Fiction and Goodfellas. I’m also into comedy, especially spoofs like Naked Gun. Johnny English is my favourite partly because of Rowan Atkinson and Austin Powers is, well simply powerfully funny. Hot Fuzz and Paul are two Simon Pegg/Nick Frost movies I love; you have to understand British humour to enjoy his movies though.

I don’t really have a favourite actress although I like Anne Hathaway because she is hot. My favourite actors are in no particular order; Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Andy Garcia (only in Godfather 3), Jason Statham, Samuel L Jackson and Simon Pegg. Notice most of them are specialised gangster actors.

I’m a self proclaimed mat rock. I grew up listening to Iron Maiden, Twisted Sisters, Search, Lefthanded, Wings, Metallica, Guns N Roses, Van Halen and the like. My favourite songs are by the rock bands form the 70s and early 80s; Africa and Rosanna by Toto, Open Arms by Journey, I Want To Know What Love Is and Waiting for A girl Like You by Foreigner and Big Love by Fleetwood Mac. My all time favourite song is Rock Me Amadeus by Falco. Falco who? Google him up, he is probably the most popular German musician in America since Bach.

I stopped following Malay music since Search and Lefthanded retired. I do enjoy some Indonesian songs but have never actually bought any. Nowadays I listen to almost everything played on the radio.

On Love

Love is a beautiful thing. Everyone wants to love and be loved but some are confused between loving and being in love. I believe they are two different things. One can love many people but will usually be in love with only one person.

Marriage is a beautiful thing. Love for another person, of the opposite sex will naturally lead to marriage. But do we know why we are getting married? Is it because of love or because we are getting older?

Is it because of love or because the other party proposed and we don not know how to say no or not yet?

Is it because of love or because our younger siblings and cousins are all married with children?

Is it because of love or because our parents wants us to?

Is it because of love or because we pity the other party and his/her family?

These are all very damaging questions so I shall stop asking.   

Weddings are a beautiful occasion. Everyone wants the perfect wedding. People will go on a strict diet so they won’t look fat in their wedding photos. People spend truckloads of money on fresh flowers for the pelamin, designer wedding gowns, made in Indonesia wedding cards, table gifts and not to mention trays upon trays of hantaran. Why? Because they want their wedding to be the most beautiful ever. Some people however forget; a beautiful wedding is not an indication of a beautiful marriage. Ask Yusry and Erra. I want a beautiful marriage more than a beautiful wedding. I don’t care if my wedding photos suck as long as I can have beautiful family photos for the rest of my life. A beautiful marriage doesn’t mean there are no hiccups; there will be fights and disagreements but they can be sorted out and laid to rest.

I’m the type who falls in love with the brains before I fall in love with the looks. I’m not saying looks don’t matter but it is after all in the eye of the beholder. Or the beer-holder, depending on the situation. I believe we all have differing taste; a hot mama in my eyes would probably be a plain Jane in some other guys’ eyes. What attracts me to a girl is how she can engage in a conversation with me, how she can make me say “wow, I didn’t know that”! I want someone who is aware of what is going on in the world and not just in the mall or movie theatres or gossip pages. I want someone who can teach me stuff. I want someone like that because if I decide to bring her home, I want her to impress my parents. The last thing I want is for my parents to look down or have a low opinion of my chosen partner. I want my parents to be proud of her as much as I am. And also, my grandmother must like her.  That is a lot of boxes to tick.

On Politics

I am into politics, I like to talk about politics and have radical views on Malaysian politics and I somehow think I have the stomach for active, fulltime life as a politician. However, skeletons in my closet may prevent me from entering the public domain so I’ll just remain as I am now, an armchair critic. Maybe a more appropriate term would be a “keyboard critic”.

It is obvious from my writings that I am aligned to the other side. Yes, I am a PR supporter, more specifically a PAS supporter. PAS is no longer the party for ustazs, no longer seen as backward and overly focussed on the afterlife. PAS is now filled with professionals, even Dr Mahathir acknowledged that many medical doctors opt to join or support PAS.

The thing I do not like about Malaysian politics is its obsession with sexual scandals. This is a legacy of our fourth PM Mahathir. Sexual politics is also a strategy employed by UMNO when they find themselves in trouble.

I’m tired of Malaysian politics because of people like the racist Ibrahim Ali, Hassan Ali who talks about the religion but does nothing, and the sex crazed Ummi Halfida. I’m tired of Malaysian politics because UMNO thinks they own everything from the media to the EPF to the police and the judiciary. 

On Cars

Like most men, I love cars. I cannot afford most of them but I love them nonetheless. One of the things that make me angry with the government is the tax policy on cars. I hate the fact that we are still protecting Proton and Perodua after all these years. I hate the fact that I had to buy a Proton not because I wanted to but because that is all I could afford. I couldn’t afford other makes not because of my financial limitations but because the taxes imposed on the other cars makes it impossible for me (then) to afford anything other than a Proton. I’m sure all the other car lovers share the exact same sentiment.

BMWs are my favourite. The first BMW I fell in love with was the 2002, I still love it but now the 02 has to share my love with the E60 5 series, the E24 6 series, E9 coupes and the E21 3 series. I have been driving the E90 for the past four years or so but I would trade it for any of the above BMs. When I was younger, I used to like the boxy Volvos, my parents used to have the P1800 and even now, I’d pick that car over the E-Type. Their S60 was sexy back in 2001 but the second generation S60 is even sexier.

No one can say they don’t like a Ferrari. I can’t and I won’t because I really really like them. When I was studying in the UK, we used to go to the local Ferrari dealership and ogle at the cars. The mat salleh salesmen were even nice enough to let us sit in some of the cars, albeit only the cars in the used car section but hey, a Ferrari is a Ferrari.

I wish the taxes on cars will be lowered in my lifetime. I’m tired of being envious of the people in Europe who can afford to change cars of their choice as often as they choose, even if they are not earning obscene salaries. Maybe a change in government could lead to a positive change in the policy.

On Racism

I don’t know if I’m a racist but as I stand, I’m a Muslim first, a Malaysian second and a Malay third.  If Ibrahim Ali hears this, he will call for my citizenship to be revoked.

To be a Malay in Malaysia is very easy, Article 160 of the Federal Constitution says;

“Malay" means a person who professes the religion of Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language, conforms to Malay custom and -

(a) was before Merdeka Day born in the Federation or in Singapore or born of parents one of whom was born in the Federation or in Singapore, or was on that day domiciled in the Federation or in Singapore; or

(b) is the issue of such a person;

Because of Article 160, the Syeds whose roots are in Arabian peninsular are considered Malays. The Mamaks who speak Tamil at home and came by boat from India are also Malays. Another new addition to the Malay fraternity is the Muslim converts; notice how Malay Ridhuan Tee is? I don’t mean to sound racist but aren’t those facts?

Let’s face it; most of us have Jawa, Bugis, Minang, Chinese, Indian, Siamese or Patani roots. Mixed marriages are very common nowadays, it is about time we cut down on the racial championing and start recognising each other as Malaysians.

On Sports

Despite being able to play many sports, I’m not good in any of them. The only person I can beat at table tennis is Lyn. My average bowling score is 238, on the Galaxy Tab. Heck; Lyn once even beat me at bowling! I’m terrible at sports but that doesn’t stop me from being a sports fan.

For someone growing up in the 1980s, Liverpool FC is the club we all want to be associated with. I’m still a fan although it hurts to be one for the past 20 years. I have been to Anfield and would love to go again. My three boys are also ardent supporters to which my dad (an MU fan) accuses me of forcing it on them.

I have a slipped disc between C5 and C6 and as a result my golf suffered. Not that I was any good at it before but after changing to left handed clubs, a drive of 200 yards is a norm. I used to play a lot of snooker, I wasn’t a hustler but most people would have to get to the brown ball to defeat me.  I still until recently played some football with the old boys. We had a couple of friendly matches last year, beating Cochrane 5-2 and losing 2-7 to a very young La Salle PJ team. I have however until now refused invitations to join my neighbours in their Friday nite futsal sessions.

Wish List

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. Maybe I should change the subtitle to ‘to do list’. I am the king of procrastination so my ‘to do’ list doesn’t really mean anything. On the top of my list would be to stop smoking. I tried a few times, on one occasion it lasted for almost a year. I also want to start getting my self active in sports; an advancing age requires exercise to keep it in one piece.

And yes, I want to take Sharlyza to the Klang wet market in Jalan Meru. That would be something to blog about!

The End

So this is the end of my blogging journey. I hope I have not offended anyone with my postings. If I did, please accept my utmost sincere apologies. I also hope some of my posting gave a positive impact. Whatever it is; thank you for reading. Thank you for your comments.

Thank you

Shafie Apdal, Zahida Rafik, Shuib Lazim – Karma?

Apparently, minister Shafie has been having an affair with the Anak Mami actress and he has been giving her pocket money amounting to something like 1.5 million units of the Malaysian currency.

It started with the actress accusing her driver of stealing 200k from her. The driver then lodged a police report to counter her allegations and the juicy stories started coming out.

Retirement Planning

Retirement means not working and not working means not earning any income. Without an income, how can one survive? Some might respond with – what a stupid question, we have our EPF savings, don’t we? Yes we do and civil servants have their pensions. The next not so stupid question is – is it enough? The life expectancy in Malaysia is about 72-73 years and private sector retirement age is currently still at 55 which means a person has to spend almost 20 years totally dependant on his EPF savings. I guess it would not be a problem if you retire a senior general manager with an EPF saving of 2-3 million ringgit but what if you retire in middle management and after withdrawing your savings to fully settle your housing loan and pay for your children’s tuition fees’, you are left with only a couple of hundred thousand to live on?

Rothchilds and 9/11

Source: http://www.iamthewitness.com/listeners/What.2.countries.DID.NOT.have.a.Rothschild.owned.Central.Bank.htm

Before 9/11 guess what 2 countries DID NOT have a Rothschild owned and started Central Bank; Afghanistan and Iraq.

World Trade Center is an act by Israel with the complicity of Britain and America, under the orders of the Rothschild. Why? These are the reasons:

An Ear and A Shoulder is All We/They Need

Often, when people come to us feeling depressed, our first reaction is to offer advice and suggest solutions. We think we are helping but in actual fact we may make things worse. You see, people who are depressed do not want answers or solutions; they just want a place to express their feelings, share their anxieties and most of all, to let everything out of their chest.

I heard something to that effect on the radio.

When to Fall in Love

Apparently, falling in love is best done when one is ready and not when one is lonely; according to my sister la but then again what does she know?

I fell in love the first time I saw her on the billboard, it was on the NKVE, KL bound. I’m still in love with her today, eight years after I first saw her. I cannot afford her yet but one day, one fine day I’ll get my E60 525i.

I knew I was in love when I cried. It was a terrible loss, we were going great and the double was within grasp. It was a simple miss and we lost. Wimbledon FC never got any significant success after beating Liverpool in the 1988 cup final and Liverpool went downhill from the 90s on but I never lost my love for the Reds.

Btw, an hour ago Liverpool dumped Man U out of the 2011/12 FA Cup!

Ariff Alfian Rosli’s Same-Sex Civil Union

Those who know me and have read my few postings on gays would know I’m against same-sex relationships. I am not a homo-phobe, I’m merely obeying my God’s decree – thou shall not practice your lust on men in preference to women; read more [here]. 

I don’t know who Ariff Alfian is; all I know about him is what the media tells me. Apparently he’s gay and is married to his lover Jonathan. Three years ago his family reported him missing but according to Ariff he is constantly in touch with his family bar his father. Apparently a police report was made in Malaysia. I didn't know we have jurisdiction over something that happened in Ireland. A man getting married to another man may not be morally acceptable but I don't think it's a crime, not in Ireland at least. Petronas is also looking for him because they want him to repay RM890,000 spent on his medical degree. Ariff also strongly denies he’s an apostate.

Interestingly and somewhat not surprisingly, UMNO is sending someone over to Ireland to coax him to return to Malaysia. Someone’s getting a free overseas trip!

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again – one has to choose between being a Muslim and being gay. There is no such thing as being a gay Muslim.  One or the other, never both. Kapish?

A Muslim is someone who unreservedly and sincerely profess that Allah is the only God and Muhammad is his messenger. A Muslim promises to strictly adhere to the words of Allah (Al Quran) and the traditions and hadiths of the Prophet s.a.w. A Muslim cannot merely profess Allah is God but refuse to acknowledge and adhere to his rulings which are spelt out in the Quran.

The Quran says;

We also sent Lut : He said to his people : "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds." Qur'an 7:80-81

"Of all the creatures in the world, will ye approach males, and leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your mates? Nay, ye are a people transgressing (all limits)!" Qur'an 26:165-166

Practising Muslims should take these verses as law and abide by them. There are no two ways about it. Failure to abide by these rulings makes a person less Muslim or maybe even non-Muslim Wallahualam.

Some people are proponents of freedom of choice. Some defend certain acts/behaviours even when they run contrary to religious (any/most religion) judgement. “It is my fundamental right to choose, it’s none of anyone’s business how I live my life” and “I’m born this way and it’s not my choice” are probably two most common excuses for being gay. The second excuse basically says God made them that way. A thief can also say God made him that way, should we condone his thieving ways?

Let’s look at a hypothetical example; if a man wants to marry his sister, both are of legal age; can they use those excuses to justify their action without being ostracised by society?  It is after all their life; they’ll live it however they want. It is also probably not their choice; perhaps they were destined to marry each other? Can society accept such acts given those justifications?

Humans are intelligent beings, sometimes too intelligent for our own good. God gave us brains and we used it to develop weapons of mass destruction, we used it to cheat the system, we use it to justify our wongdoings. We abuse God’s greatest gift to mankind – our brains. And because we are too smart, we need divine guidance. Why does every religion have sacred scriptures? They are not merely historical text, they are meant to guide the followers. True believers of the religion (any religion) will strictly adhere to the words of their holy text.

I am quite sure Christianity is also against homosexuality. I Googled and found this easy to understand verse; Leviticus 20:13 If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

If I say I’ll pray for Ariff’s repentance, critics will tell me to mind my own business. I shall pray nonetheless, pray that he’ll un-break his mother’s heart. 

22 October 2011

I woke up on the 22nd October 2011 to a new day severed from my 'previous' life. It was a new beginning for me. I don't remember much about the life I left and was eager to begin the new adventure, to open a new chapter.

Dinner on that Saturday was a wonderful event. Family and friends came to give their support. Advice was abound and love was all around.

Recollection of the past was scarce but hope for the future is overwhelmingly abundant.

And hopefully this blog too will come back to life ...

Selfish Drivers - Empire Subang

Has anyone been to Empire Subang during peak hours? Does anyone notice the many cars illegally and indiscriminately parked by the roadside in front of Empire, taking up a lane on each side of the road, suffocating the traffic? Read this ...

The mayor of Vilnius, in Lithuania, has an aggressive way of cracking down on illegal parking - rather than simply issuing a ticket, the smiling mayor runs it over with a soviet-era armoured personnel carrier.

I do not have a tank but I might just get one if the selfish drivers continue to park their cars along that road.

Maybe I'll start with a sledgehammer ...

Hafidz on Gays

Hafidz Baharom says –

“My thoughts on the issues of religious belief butting in on a way of life are simple. Read through your texts and go back to your basics. What makes a person a Muslim?

To be a Muslim, all you need to do is say the syahadah, fast during Ramadhan, pray five times a day, pay the fitrah tithe and go for Haj if you are able. So tell me, dearest fellow Muslims, where exactly is this straight/gay dilemma in the basics of being a Muslim? As far back as 1994, Sisters in Islam was decrying that no punishment was meted out under hudud law for homosexuality. And since you all love to quote the Quran, here’s one you missed:

Al-Ahzab, verse 58:

And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly bear (on themselves) a calumny and a glaring sin.”

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/article/softies-and-sexuality/

I’m called to answer Hafidz’s question on where exactly is this straight/gay dilemma in the basics of being a Muslim.

He is not wrong when he said to be a Muslim, all you need to do is say the syahadah, fast during Ramadhan, pray five times a day, pay the fitrah tithe and go for Haj if you are able. I said he’s not wrong but I don’t think he’s totally right either. Why do I say that?

First, I suggest he look up the definition of zakat fitrah vis-à-vis zakat. They are two different things, with different conditions and criteria.

Secondly, saying the syahadah is not merely an oral or verbal act. It requires one to fully appreciate, understand and accept what it means by professing there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger.

Professing the syahadah means fully believing in Allah as the one and only God. Fully believing in Allah includes believing in his words (Al Quran) and adhering to his laws (Shariah). Fully believing in Allah also means obeying all of his commands.

Islam is not a mere collection of physical acts or words. Performing the Haj every other year doesn’t make one more Muslim than someone who has only been on the pilgrimage once. Fasting is not just about abstaining from eating between dawn and dusk and paying RM7.00 to the amil every Ramadhan doesn’t absolve one’s zakat obligation.

 

On homosexuality, the Quran has this to say:

We also sent Lut : He said to his people : "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds." Qur'an 7:80-81

"Of all the creatures in the world, will ye approach males, And leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your mates? Nay, ye are a people transgressing (all limits)!" Qur'an 26:165-166

Why didn’t Hafidz quote those two verses?

Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi of the ISNA said: “Homosexuality is a moral disorder. It is a moral disease, a sin and corruption... No person is born homosexual, just like no one is born a thief, a liar or murderer. People acquire these evil habits due to a lack of proper guidance and education.”

I said it once and I’ll say it again; there is no such thing as a Muslim gay. Just like there is no such thing as a vegetarian tiger or a stir-fried sushi.

 

It is interesting that he quoted 33:58 without highlighting “believing men and women”. Having disobeyed the decree on homosexuality (7:80-81 and 26:165-66), can a gay person be considered believing men?

To Beer or Not to Beer ...

MPSJ’s recent guideline/ban on Muslims working in outlets serving alcohol has been touted by some people as moral policing. At first glance it does seem like moral policing, telling Muslims where they can and cannot work.

However, the issue shouldn’t be about moral policing or even about morals. It’s about adhering to the laws of Islam.

It cannot be argued that alcoholic beverages are forbidden in the religion of Islam. In surah Al-Maidah, verse 90-91 says that intoxicants and gambling are satan’s handwork and believers should avoid such things. Intoxicants obviously include alcoholic beverages but some will argue that they are harmless when taken in small quantities, so a sip shouldn’t be a problem. It is a problem, it’s not okay to even take a nip or tot because it was reported in sunan Ibn Majah that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: anything which intoxicates in a large quantity is prohibited even in a small quantity. The same sunan also reported that Anas related that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "God’s curse falls on ten groups of people who deal with alcohol. The one who distils it, the one for whom it has been distilled, the one who drinks it, the one who transports it, the one to who it has been brought, the one whom serves it, the one who sells it, the one who utilizes money from it, the one who buys it and the one who buys it for someone else."

The Quran and hadith have made it clear that Muslims should avoid alcoholic beverages; from its production, distribution and especially consumption. I therefore support any guideline, law or decree prohibiting Muslims from having anything to do with alcoholic beverages not because I want be seen as holier than thou but because that’s what (my) God decrees. I have argued in my posting on gays that to be a Muslim one must accept the ground rules of being a Muslim. The rule says: have nothing to do with alcoholic beverages, so end of argument.

Liberals would argue that such directive would be oppressive, against basic human rights, depriving a person of his livelihood. My question is; what right does a human have to dispute the commands of his creator? The affected employees on the other hand will ask; “who is going to feed my family if I have to give up my bartending, Carlsberg lorry driver or senior manager of GAB job?” My answer is: this is where the religious authorities should come in; the Pusat Zakats and the Baitulmals should come up with a programme to train or assist those affected to find new source of income. I mean isn’t that the purpose of these institutions? To help Muslims in need?

If it is okay for a Muslim to work in the alcoholic beverage industry, would it make it okay for a Muslim to work in the pork or gambling industries?

*apologies to William Shakespeare for mutating his most recognisable line

You’re Gay, Are You Okay?

Is it okay to be gay? Azwan Ismail seems to think so. So does his many followers, who are slowly coming out from their closet. He is the probably one of the first Malay/”Muslim” to openly come out albeit via YouTube and proclaim his gay tendencies. The result of his coming out in the open is; no prizes for guessing, death threats. From irrational Muslims, if I may add.

So, is it okay to be gay? No it’s not, if the gay also wants to be a Muslim. Muslim gays are an oxymoron; you’re either one or the other, you cannot be both. There is no such thing as a gay Muslim. I am not a religious scholar but the little I know about my religion is that one must strictly adhere to the tenets/pillars of Islam to be considered a true Muslim. A true Muslim must not dispute the words of the Quran and the (authentic/sahih) hadiths of the Prophet s.a.w. The Quran says (7:80-81 and 26:165-66) gay acts are forbidden, any person wishing to be a Muslim must obey the laws laid down by the Quran. There are no two ways about it. Muslims must accept that Allah has the final (only) say on what is right and what is wrong. He says no to homosexuality and lesbianism, so end of argument. If you insist on being a homosexual, you’re going against the words of God.

Am I saying that gays are apostates? I’m not in the position to officially declare their apostasy; maybe an analogy could better explain the rationale for my opinion. Let’s say a person is employed in an organisation which strictly forbids the wearing of purple round neck t-shirts to work. This person however has a fetish for purple round neck t-shirts and insists on wearing the said t-shirt to work, which is against company policy. The company expects all employees to abide by the company policies and since the person cannot live without wearing the said t-shirt, he has no choice but to leave the organisation and seek employment elsewhere, somewhere where purple t-shirts are welcomed.

Replace “organisation/company” with Islam and “purple round neck t-shirts” with homosexuality.

Even animals do not indulge in gay acts …

Is death the punishment for gays? Again, I have no authority to comment from the religious perspective so all I’ll say is I do not believe in capital punishment as the first option. It should not be an option unless as retribution for the loss of another life. Even then, forgiveness or compensation should be considered first before carrying out the “eye for an eye” punishment. Back to death to gays, I do not think it will solve the problem, if anything; it will create an underground network of closet gays which in the end would be a bigger and more difficult problem to handle. I’m a believer in education as the means to correct social ills; “Muslim” gays should be persuaded to accept the laws of Islam. The key word is “persuade” and not “force.” We must try to win them over with advice and not threats. The objective is to bring them closer to the religion and not scare them away. If all else fails, all we can do is pray …

Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi of the ISNA said: “Homosexuality is a moral disorder. It is a moral disease, a sin and corruption... No person is born homosexual, just like no one is born a thief, a liar or murderer. People acquire these evil habits due to a lack of proper guidance and education.”

 

 

Dear Diary

No, I do not plan to turn this blog into a "tell everyone what I did today" page. I will however, just this once, write about my day.

11 December 2011 was a bad day. Sad day. Stressful even.

Hanging out with Kenneth, Lorna and Laila didn't help. Four people in a sombre mood is not good company.

It almost got worse.

The old boys had a friendly football game against the Cochrane old boys. The turnout was good, the spectators were in a carnival and picnic mood, sitting on mats on the running track next to the field, some enjoying chicken from Kentucky and the kids running around. Their daddies on the other hand, were pretending to run around ...

The game started well, yours truly starting up front. Yours truly however missed three sitters in the opening 5 minutes and the day and the game almost got worse. By the second third (we veterans played three thirds of 25 minutes each), we were two nil down. The 'fighting spirit' of the boys with the Bull on their crest managed to level the score at two all before the end of the second period. It was not long before the team with the Tiger on ther badge scored their third. The third third however was all Bulls (no shit!) and the game ended five to three in our favour. My day is not so bad anymore.

In fact it got better.

Before the game, I got an invite to go see a concert featuring Hattan and Man Kidal. Yes Man Kidal. I grew up listening to Search, Lethanded and Wings. I was a teenage 'mat rock'. I still am, not a teenager but a mat rock. X used to call me 'mat rock' and apparently that Wings' song "Sejati"  used to remind her of me. I still listen to Phantom of the Opera almost every week. Not that long running West End play but the classic Iron Maiden song.

Back to my concert. It was magnificent! Man Kidal's guitar work is unrivalled in Malaysia. Hattan presented a wonderful mix of rock, ethnic and jazz-blues. Yes jazz-blues. You have to listen to it to know. His rendition of 'Gerhana' is excellent, only M. Nasir can do better.

And it got even better.

11 December is Hattan's birthday. After the show, the crew had a little birthday celebration for the man and I was invited. Yes, I was invited to Hattan's little birthday get together. My previous claim to fame was saying hello to papa rock Ramli Sarip in Midvalley and he said hello back. Tonight I'm eating roti jala with Man Kidal and smoking a cigarette with Hattan. For a mat rock like me, this is as good as it gets.

My first concert was Search when I was 16. My next concert was Kenny G three years later followed by Shiela Majid and Zainal the following year. I went to a few small indie Jazz concerts during my time in the UK but nothing major, no Glastonbury for me. I saw M.Nasir in 95 and Alanis Morisstte in 96.

11 December 2010 is my first major concert since Ms Morissette fourteen years ago!

I'm not the type who indulges in URTV or Mangga. In fact, I ban those things from my house. I don't watch the full of nonsense show called Melodi. Generally, I'm not into celebrities. But today is different. Hattan and Man Kidal are not just any "I'm good looking so I want to be a singer" type. These guys have real talent. The lasted more than two decades, that says a lot about their ability. And they are good. I was impressed with what I saw and I don't mind seeing them again.

What an attitude, eh?

I took this picture some time back, maybe two years ago. I apologise for not blacking out the number plates but then again, why should I?

How do you justify this? Benefit of the doubt doesn't apply in these situations. It's a clear definition of selfishness, stupidity, arrogance and ... I shall not continue, there could be children reading this blog.

Love Actually

I really enjoyed the movie, I watched it twice, I think, maybe more. I went to to cinema to watch the Malay version, Cinta. I hardly watch Malay movies at the cinema. In all, I saw 4 Malay movies at the cinema; Bukit Kepong, Hantu Siang, Perempuan, Isteri dan ... and Cinta. Why bother going to the cinema when you can watch it on TV during raya? 

Before anyone thinks this is a posting about movies, let me clarify. I'm writing this after reading Dina Zaman's piece on subsequent weddings. I'm not a big fan of her because we tend to have different views on similar issues but that article of hers sort of struck me due to certain recent events. 

Her article basically questions or discusses the need for lavish second, third or any subsequent weddings. It is rare but this time, I see myself agreeing-ish with her. 

My take on subsequent weddings is that they are only tricky if one of the party is a first-timer. 

I mean, no self respecting, society conscious mother would want her single twenty something daughter to marry a thirty something single father. What would the relatives say? What would the neighbours say? The warning that "he'll leave you too one day" will come from every friend, every cousin, every auntie. On the other hand, what if her daughter was the one responsible for making the guy a single father. The positions are reversed, no self respecting mother would accept a pretty young thing marrying her son knowing that she caused her grandchildren to be separated from their mother. Things get even worse if the said (ex)daughter-in-law was the family's favourite. 

Maybe the guy hid the fact that his future wife caused the break-up with the former wife so that the family will accept his new bride without association with the former wife. Maybe the guy tried hard to ensure the future lady is in no way associated with the former lady. Maybe the guy went as far as not acknowledging the presence of the second lady so that it appears that there is no one else in his life. Once the air is clear and all the issues are out of the way, he brings her out in the open (often that will prove to be a little too late). Would the absence of any "proof" of causing the end of the previous marriage justify a grand wedding? May take is; have it grand on the first-timer's side and simple on the other side.

Should the emcee at the reception highlight the "fact" that the couple only started falling for each other post breakdown of the previous union? My take is; ignore the "fact", there is no need to even mention it. 

There won't be much fuss if it is well known they met long after the collapse of the first union. Still, no need to mention it. 

It's easy when both parties were previously married (not to each other, of course!). It makes even easier if it is well documented (without having to explain) that they met post both breakdowns. In this case, I find no issues against a grand wedding. Make it a new beginning, an experienced couple should not be making the same mistakes, hopefully.

Whatever it is; second, third, Nth weddings are common now, some are bigger than the last, some are held in Thailand and some (especially for those in the entertainment industry) in Mekah, usually after an Umrah trip. There is nothing wrong with a grand wedding or a small wedding attended by three friends; the important thing is the reason for the wedding must be right.

Spirit of Ramadhan (18SX - reader beware)

Ramadhan is here again and the annual ibadah time is here again.

But is that all what Ramadhan is all about? The annual ibadah month? Shouldn’t ibadah be a 12 month a year affair instead of 1/12?

Some people get so self righteous when Ramadhan comes. This very same people who before Ramadhan was holidaying and sleeping with their unmarried partners, showering together, walking around naked in the presence of each other and having sexual intercourse with each other.

When Ramadhan comes, these people become instant saints, even to the point of reminding others not to sin.  How can someone who holds hands with their unmarried partners while walking back from Terawih prayers advise others on what is sinful and what is not?

I’m not pious nor is piety my middle name and therefore I shall not advise others before I am able to advise myself.

So, in the spirit of Ramdhan (and Syawal); I seek forgiveness for my words, actions and thoughts. Maaf zahir batin.

Then again, shouldn’t forgiveness be a continuous process and not a once a year affair?

A Man’s House is His Castle

I went out on a “lunch date” a couple of days ago with; let’s call her Siti, because that’s her name, or at least the first part of her name. We ate at a café in a shopping mall near her office. It was a nice outing; we were talking all the way from her office lobby to the café and back to her office lobby. Topics were general, almost everything under the sun, almost.

No, I’m not bragging about my date. There is nothing to brag about and it’s probably not a date. Actually, I was passing some stuff to her and since its lunch time, we decided to have lunch together. Damn, it’s not a date after all!

What I want to talk about is one of the things Siti and me talked about – safety and security.

There has been so many cases of theft and robbery reported in the newspapers lately, from petty thievery like snatching handbags to house break-ins and car thefts, to mention a few. The robbers are getting bolder, my colleague’s girlfriend’s house was broken into in broad daylight in full view of everyone, thank God she was unharmed. There is even this case where two thieving brothers smashed the windscreen of a car at the stoplight to snatch the driver’s handbag. They however didn’t get far because they crashed and died after being chased by the victim and other good Samaritans (actually they got quite far, all the way the meet their Maker). What about the pregnant mom who was killed when thieves snatched her handbag causing her to fall off her bike?

I had a strange experience when I was in Basel recently. I was at a road side café having lunch with a friend and we both decided to go to the men’s room at the same time (no weird ideas please). I wanted to take my jacket with me as my passport was in one of the pockets and the loo was in the main restaurant building. My friend told me not to worry and just leave it there; no–one will take it. So I left it there and it was still there when I came back. That kind of confidence cannot be applied in KL.

Look at our houses, look at the grills and alarms we install just to keep the intruders out. Some even employ guards. Grills in addition to being ugly are also potential traps. We have heard many stories of people dying in a fire trapped by the grills.

Borrowing from Edward Coke (the 17^th century English parliamentarian), Calvin’s dad once said, “a man’s house is his castle but it shouldn't have to be his fortress”.

*this piece was written in August 2009.

Foreigners in Our Own Country

Below is an excerpt of Sheridan Mahavera’s interview with political economist Andrew Aeria. Immigration control between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah/Sarawak. Although agreed to by the decision-makers in 1963, I think these controls have served to divide us and our common imaginings of a united nation. Where in the self-respecting democratic world — apart from Malaysia — does a country have internal immigration controls that limit the rights of movement and rights of citizens to work? Such controls not only run contrary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (and arguably also our Federal Constitution) but also have a negative impact upon the psyche of those who travel between Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah/Sarawak. They only reinforce the perception of division and difference instead of unity.

Immigration controls in Sabah/Sarawak may have been perceived as necessary back in 1963 because Sabah/Sarawak feared being overwhelmed by an influx of immigrants from Peninsular Malaysia. And yet, the statistical record suggests that more Sabahans and Sarawakians have travelled to the peninsula over the years to work and settle down there than vice versa. So, why do the state governments of Sabah/Sarawak continue maintaining immigration controls when they don’t even serve the original purpose they were enacted for?

As well, times and thinking have changed. Restricting the movement and work of Malaysian citizens in an era of globalisation is potentially suffocating for the economies of Sabah/Sarawak and Malaysia as a whole. How do you attract talent to help develop local economies if Malaysians are treated as foreigners in their own country having to renew their work permits every year or once every two years? In the meantime, retired pensioners from Europe, Australia and Japan are given 10-year Malaysia My Second-Home Visas to settle down in Sabah and Sarawak without all the immigration hassles! Further, what does this say to citizens and pensioners from Peninsular Malaysia who wishes to settle down in beautiful Sabah and Sarawak? Presently, under the immigration controls, this right to settle down in Sabah/Sarawak is not available to Peninsular Malaysians even if we have worked here for decades. Thus, immigration controls in Sabah/Sarawak no longer serve any meaningful purpose. If anything, they only serve to reinforce the mental and psychological divides in our mind instead of building up a sense of oneness and emotional belonging. It is time we removed these barriers to unity if we truly believe in the idea of 1 Malaysia. Otherwise, we perpetuate division. But obviously, the dull thinking of our politicians (and judges) have not changed much since 1963 since they maintain immigration control for reasons best known to themselves and justified by their own unfathomable logic. After all, Parliament has amended our constitution numerous times over the last 46 years to suit evolving times and situations. Thus, to claim that we cannot remove immigration controls because it is a 1963 constitutional provision is a genuinely lame excuse. Like I said earlier, times and thinking have changed.

It is indeed strange for Malaysians to have to produce their passports and apply for work permits to enter and work in another Malaysian state. If 1Malaysia means every Malaysian is equal, then this ridiculous immigration policy has to be scrapped. I once flew from Kuching to KK via Sibu. While on transit in Sibu I had to disembark, exit the arrival hall at Sibu airport and re-enter the departure hall before getting back on the plane. I don’t know what the whole process was all about but whatever it is, it’s definitely a charade!

Some of the policies, processes and procedures in this country are so ridiculous it borders stupidity. Immigration restriction between Peninsular and east Malaysian states is only one of the many examples.
What about Bumiputers quotas and discounts for house purchases? Why is that a Bumi who can afford a RM500,000 house is given a 7% discount? If the guy can afford a house costing half a million, he doesn’t deserve a discount, Bumi or not! Why is a poor Bumi earning RM2,000 per month gets a discount to buy a house while a poor non-Bumi who earns the same amount has to pay 5-7% more for his house?

How does a single race university (UiTM) help develop global competitiveness? If the students are only restricted to a single race why is the university employing other races as lecturers and professors?

The truth, they say is stranger than fiction. I say, the truth can be quite mind boggling.

My Good Friend G

My good friend G was once told by one of our teachers that he will never be PM. I feel for him because he wants so much to be PM. He won’t get my vote not because I want a Malay to be PM but because we have been friends for 22 years and when you’re friends that long, you would know if your friends are PM material or not.

G has done very well for himself despite having to go through UMNO instituted hurdles at every turn. As a result of the many obstacles and challenges, he became one angry man and he doesn’t hide his bitterness towards the system. I don’t blame him. I have been debating political issues with him since we were 16, once we even sat for hours at the Kotaraya bus stop discussing politics. Imagine that, two immature, unenlightened 16 year olds discussing deep stuff. It’s no surprise that one turned out to be an influential PKR member and a local councillor. The other became a timid bank employee, expressing his views behind the anonymity of a blog. Coward.

G and me, we agree to disagree. I share some of his views and at the same time I hope he won’t push for some of his other ideas to be instituted. I have both respect and apprehension for the man. I respect him because he has a stand and firmly believes in them. I also fear that he sometimes can be too radical.

I wish G all the best, he’ll make a good whatever he wants to be. He’s a friend one can count on. But I still won’t vote him for PM.

How About Some Humility and Gratitude?

Some people think they are so great. They think too highly of themselves. They think everyone needs them and can’t survive if they are not around. They think they are sooo important. Maybe it’s in the genes.

I’m sorry to spoil the party, but no one is indispensable.

Some people are so selfish, short-sighted and ungrateful.

A concession given by top management (no one has ever gotten such a privilege) deserves some form of gratitude. A promotion despite being absent from active duty plus an unusually huge bonus also deserves some form of gratitude.

A lesson in business management
Organisations grow. A small 3-4 man department means everyone reports to the head. As things get bigger, the boss may need an assistant or two to supervise the burgeoning headcount. Some may not be reporting to the head anymore but their job scope widens with more responsibilities compared to before. One day, the department will grow even bigger, maybe more units will be created and the head will require more assistants to supervise the new, larger set-up.

Sometimes a little patience is all one needs. And how about some humility and gratitude?